The physical properties and the rheological response of polycrystalline rocks of the cryosphere and lithosphere to pressure, temperature, stress, and strain are governed by their composition, microstructure, and texture. Microstructure and texture are particularly sensitive to deformation: particle shapes adapt to the imposed strain, and grain size reflects the flow stress and the size distribution the intensity of comminution; typical crystallographic preferred orientations develop as a result of strain or recrystallization processes, etc. The range of deformation processes and mechanisms can best be identified on the microscale, but will control the behaviour of the whole system. That is why microstructures provide valuable clues for the deciphering of the rocks' mechanical history or current physical state and for inferring active deformation processes in nature and experiments. Using microstructural evidence, naturally deformed rocks can be interpreted in the light of results gained from carefully designed experiments carried out under controlled conditions.

The proposed Special Volume welcomes (but is not limited to) contributions presented at the “Analysis of microstructure, texture and deformation mechanisms in nature and experiment” session at the EGU General Assembly 2016, and aims to present the current state of the art as well as future developments in the analysis of deformation microstructures, showcasing results from Earth and material scientists who use experiments, theory, and natural examples to study the physical properties of Earth's materials.